Political background

Assassination

Lahaut was assassinated on 18 August 1950 at Seraing. Following his murder, strikes were organised all over the country, while 300,000 people attended his funeral.

When King Baudouin of Belgium pledged his commitment to Belgium as future King, before the Parliament on 11 August 1950, one of the Communist deputies shouted "Vive la République! Vive Julien Lahaut!" ("Long Live the Republic! Long Live Julien Lahaut!") in protest. A few days before, there had been a strike followed by 500,000 persons opposed to the return of the monarchy, especially after Leopold III's compromises with the Nazis. A week later, Lahaut was shot dead before his house by two killers. François Goossens, a Belgian royalist, was later revealed to be one of the assassins, although it has become doubtful if Goossens was the actual shooter, after someone else has come forward claiming that he was the one who shot Lahaut.